Pre-game notes (updated)

The Raiders obviously have to slow down Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles. Oakland is 13th in the league in run defense after allowing 99 yards on 41 carries the past two games.

“Things are starting to come together as far as the small techniques and the little details,” rookie linebacker Miles Burris said. “The more experience and the more reps you get, the better you’re going to be.”

The Chiefs have scored only four touchdowns on the ground this year but do get Peyton Hillis back today.

Here you you go, conspiracy theorists: Oakland averaged just five penalties in the first three games. It has averaged nine penalties since the lockout ended and the replacement officials were replaced. Its change average is the highest in the NFL.

While a lot has been written on offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and the offensive line (today’s story in Chron), Scouts Inc. thinks Darren McFadden “is spending way too much time running east and west and needs to be more decisive as he sticks his foot in the ground and turns upfield.”

Carson Palmer was 9-of-13 for 118 yards while running a no-huddle offense last week as the Raiders rallied to beat Jacksonville. Though Oakland has had success with the up-tempo set, it’s not something the Raiders expect to run a majority of the time – especially in front of loud crowds on the road.

“It’s a good change up,” Knapp said. “It’ll catch a defense by surprise better than if you did it all the time.”

Tight end Brandon Myers is second in the NFL with 15 fourth-quarter catches (Reggie Wayne and Kendall Wright are first with 16). Myers leads the Raiders with 28 receptions and 334 yards, both already career-highs after he escaped the shadows of Zach Miller and Kevin Boss. Myers is on pace for 75 catches, which would be the most for a Raiders tight end since Todd Christensen had 95 in 1986.

Each of the Raiders’ last three victories has come as a result of game-winning field goals by Sebastian Janikowski, including here in overtime last December.

Brady Quinn, the second quarterback drafted in 2007, behind JaMarcus Russell, gets a second straight start as Matt Cassel has been benched. Quinn was on the Broncos last year and ran the scout team against then-defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. In 16 career games, Quinn has a 53-percent completion mark, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

“I think the world of Brady,” Allen said. “I think he’s a very bright individual, obviously a good athlete playing the quarterback position extremely hard. I think he’ll continue to get better as he continues to play in that role.”

^ Quinn will get a chance to make some plays today, thanks to an offensive line that has not allowed a sack in two consecutive games. The Raiders are 30th in the NFL with 7 sacks.

Routt is allowing an average of 19.0 yards per catch, including at least one reception of 19 or more yards in every game. According to Pro Football Focus, he has yielded 361 yards on passes into his coverage this season. Coming on 183 snaps in coverage, that works out at an average of 1.97 yards per snap in coverage — fifth-worst among the 103 cornerbacks playing at least 25% of their team’s defensive snaps.

^ Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour ruined the Chiefs’ playoff hopes last season by blocking a pair of Ryan Succop field goals Dec. 24 at Arrowhead. The Chiefs would have won the AFC West championship if they had beaten the Raiders.